Security Specialist

Summary

The Security Specialist helps protect Peace Corps personnel and assets by supporting physical security programs and emergency preparedness activities. The role focuses on safeguarding sensitive information and facilities, and on planning and executing continuity of operations and occupant emergency functions. The position supports senior leaders during emergency response and requires on-call availability, with mobile tools provided to ensure communication capability.

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Duties

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The Security Specialist performs the following major duties:

Physical Security

• Interpret internal and external security policies to determine their application to agency facilities and operations.
• Develop and implement security strategies, policies, and protective systems to prevent compromises of personnel, sensitive information, equipment, and materials.
• Implement an established identity management program.
• Manage an information technology system that supports physical security.

Emergency Management

• Evaluate emergency management plans and procedures to ensure compliance with agency objectives and applicable federal directives.
• Develop and implement strategies to ensure a successful emergency management program where necessary.
• Coordinate and deliver preparedness and response training and exercises to strengthen readiness for natural and man-made disasters.
• Manage an information technology system that supports emergency notification.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Applicants selected for this position are subject to the following Conditions of Employment:
• You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service (see
• Prior to employment, Peace Corps will review records for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former employees, as required by statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b.
• You must submit a signed statement acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps Conditions of Employment before your first day.
• You must obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance.
• This position is designated for drug testing under the Drug-Free Workplace Program. You must pass a pre-employment drug test. After hire, you will be subject to random drug testing.
• A one-year probationary period may be required. This requirement is not applicable to current agency US Direct Hire employees who have completed a probationary period or current Experts who have served for more that 12 months.
• May be required to work from an alternate operating facility, potentially for up to 30 days.
• The initial appointment to this position cannot exceed five years.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements prior to the closing date of this announcement, 09/17/2026 . You will receive credit for all qualifying experience demonstrated in your resume, including volunteer work. Qualification claims are subject to verification. This vacancy is being announced at two grade levels FP-04 and FP-05.

Specialized Experience at the FP-04 (GS-12) Level: To qualify for this position at the FP-04 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-05 or GS-09 . This experience must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the role. Specialized experience includes:

• Interpretation and application of federal physical security policies, standards, and strategies to protect personnel, information, equipment, and materials.
• Management of a federal identity management program including the issuance of identification credentials.
• Development of emergency management plans and procedures to support occupant emergency plan and/or continuity of operations programs.
• Management of information technology systems that support physical security, emergency management, and/or identity management programs.

~OR~

FP-04 (GS-11): Ph. D or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position.

~OR~

A combination of education and experience

~OR~

Specialized Experience at the FP-05 (GS-09) Level: To qualify for this position at the FP-05 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-07 or GS-07 . This experience must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of the role. Specialized experience includes:

• Implementation of established strategies to physically protect personnel, information, equipment, and materials.
• Assisting with the implementation of a federal identity management program.
• Implementation of established emergency management plans and procedures to support occupant emergency plan and/or continuity of operations programs.
• Utilization of information technology systems that support physical security, emergency management, and/or identity management programs.

~OR~

FP-05 (GS-09) grade level: A Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR L.L.B. or J.D., if related.

~OR~

A combination of education and experience

~AND~

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Current or former Federal employees, including Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable Time-in-Grade requirements to be eligible for this position. For positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) level, you must have completed at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying.

All current or former Federal employees, including internal employees, must provide a copy of their SF-50(s), "Notification of Personnel Action," to demonstrate that you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. For more information, refer to the "Required Documents" section below.

Please note:

• If you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience, please review the "Education" section of this announcement.
• Experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience requirements must be clearly documented in your resume. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Please review the "Required Documents" section of this announcement for further information on resume requirements.
• Specialized experience may be gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer service (e.g., National Service programs such as Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, or other organizations such as professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, or social groups).
• One year of experience refers to full-time work. Part-time work will be credited on a prorated basis.
• For more details on qualification requirements, refer to the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions, available on the OPM web site.

Education

If you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education a transcript must be submitted with your application. Transcripts can be official or unofficial.

A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements:

1. Divide your total months of experience by 12.
2. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18.
3. Add the two percentages.

Education must be obtained from an institution accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to be used toward qualification requirements. Applicants should report only attendance and/or degrees from accredited schools. To verify whether a school is accredited, visit the U.S. Department of Education's accreditation website.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must provide evidence that your credentials have been evaluated by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign education programs. The evaluation must confirm that your education is equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. program, or that full credit has been granted by a U.S. accredited college or university. For more information, visit: U.S. Department of Education - Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Additional information

Position Information:

• This is non-bargaining unit position.
• The minimum and maximum salaries listed on this announcement includes locality pay.

Peace Corps Information:

• This is a federal civilian position in the Excepted Service, and the incumbent will serve as a member of the Foreign Service.
• Peace Corps employees are paid under the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay system, which differs from the General Schedule (GS) pay system. In the FP pay system, lower grade level numbers indicate higher levels of responsibility and pay. The FP-09 is the lowest, entry-level, grade and the FP-01 is the highest, senior-level, grade.
• If you are a current federal employee, your agency may grant you reemployment rights in accordance with Section 310 of the Foreign Service Act, 22 USC 3950. You must request and be granted reemployment rights prior to separation from your current federal agency.
• If this is your first federal appointment, you may request credit for prior applicable non-federal service toward your leave Service Computation Date. Approval of credit must be granted prior to your first federal appointment and is subject to agency review and documentation requirements.
• This position is eligible for situational telework only.
• The Peace Corps uses E-Verify to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
• The Peace Corps is a drug-free workplace.
• Additional hiring needs may be filled through this vacancy.

Intelligence Background Information: Peace Corps Manual Section 611 is applicable to this position:

• This prohibits the employment of certain persons previously engaged in intelligence activities or connected with intelligence agencies within the past 10 years.
• If you have ever worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), you are not eligible for employment at the Peace Corps in any capacity, and you should not apply for employment at the Peace Corps.
• Acceptance of employment with Peace Corps precludes employment by certain intelligence organizations for a specific period after Peace Corps employment ceases.

Applicants who indicate on the announcement questionnaire that they, or a family member, have an intelligence connection will be required to submit a completed Intelligence Background Questionnaire. The Peace Corps Office of Human Resources will provide instructions for submitting this form after the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide the completed questionnaire will result in disqualification from further consideration. If you have any type of possible intelligence connection, your application will not be processed until this form is submitted.

Except when the CIA or the National Security Agency (NSA) is involved (see below), if your connection with an Intelligence Agency involves an immediate family member who is employed or has been employed in intelligence, the immediate family member should complete the form.

If you have an immediate family member who is employed or has been employed with the CIA, please contact your family member in person (not by phone, email, social networking, or any other means that is not in person) and ask him or her to contact the Office of General Counsel at the CIA.

If you or an immediate family member have been employed by or associated with the NSA, you or your family member must contact the NSA Prepublication Review Office at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.